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Salem City Council holds a hearing Monday on whether city code bars AI data centers

The Daily Salem teamFrom today’s edition · 1 min read · 3 sources

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If you've followed Salem's data center debate, Monday is the night to watch. The City Council will hold a public hearing before deciding whether the city's zoning code already excludes AI and hyperscale data centers, like the Oakline at Mill Creek project has planned for southeast Salem.

Ahead of the vote, Verrus CEO Nelson Abramson personally offered city leaders a deal worth $10 million. The proposed community benefits agreement went to the entire council, with copies to City Manager Krishna Namburi and City Attorney Dan Atchison.

$10 millioncommunity benefits agreement offered by Verrus's CEO

Abramson sent the proposed deal to the full council ahead of Monday's decision.

Source: Salem Reporter

Atchison said in a report to the council that this would be a code interpretation, not a code amendment, which takes a more extensive process. When "data center" entered the code in 2013-2014, he wrote, AI and hyperscale facilities "were rare in Oregon." The interpretation would apply to Verrus's pending application.

  • When: 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9
  • Where: , Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St. S.E.
  • Watch: YouTube livestream, in English and Spanish

Salem's data center code question comes to a hearing Nov. 9

  1. 2013-2014The term "data center" was added to Salem's city code.
  2. July 27Residents testified before the council on the proposed Mill Creek data center.
  3. Nov. 9The council will hold a public hearing on a code interpretation of "data center".

Sources: Salem Reporter, Statesman Journal

Sources: Salem Reporter, Statesman Journal

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